5 Things to Know about Animal Rescue Groups
Over the past decade, breed rescue groups have become
a major force in dog adoptions. These rescue groups
limit their effort to a particular breed of dog including purebreds. This is a help to people who want a certain
breed of dog but can't or won't use breeders. To make the best use of a rescue group, however,
there are a few things to keep in mind. 1. Watch out for scams. Some wholesale breeders and brokers who can't meet
federal and state laws advertise themselves as "rescue" organizations. Crooks have even collected money for
non-existent rescue groups. Unlike animal shelters and local humane societies,
rescue groups usually do not have storefronts. They are
a collection of breeders and breed fanciers who perform
their services from their homes. Ask any rescue group if they are incorporated or
registered as a nonprofit group in your state. The best way to find a rescue group is to go to the
American Kennel Club's (AKC) website at www.akc.org
and search under the breed you're interested in getting.
If no rescue group is listed, contact the national breed
club and ask for references. 2. Don't trust everything a shelter tells you. In some areas, the county or charitable animal shelter
feels they're in competition with rescue groups and
take pains to color these groups as irresponsible. Some people who volunteer at shelters are animal
rights extremists who despise anyone who breeds dogs
to serve as pets. This is a source of tension as many
rescue group members are hobby or professional breeders. Some rescue groups have made this worse by advertising
how they "rescue" dogs from the shelter implying they
are the guys in the white hats. A further issue of contention between the groups is
the fee charged to obtain a dog. Some rescue groups deliberately undercut the fees the shelter's charge. Shelters may be limited by law or organization rules
to charging a certain amount and can't compete on
price with rescue groups. 3. Ask about foster care for the dog you're considering. Responsible rescue groups place dogs in foster
homes to assess the dogs and determine what behavior
problems, if any, exist with the dog. This information is crucial to determining what
type of permanent home would be best for the dog.
For instance, one without children or one without
other pets. Be leery of a rescue group that is trying to place
a dog that it has just obtained without having an
interim placement. 4. Expect to be interviewed. Responsible rescue groups do attempt to match
a dog and his personality with an appropriate owner.
They can only do this by asking questions including
what your experience is with dogs, what you know
about the breed and what type of lifestyle you have. Please do not be offended. I would never accept
a dog from a rescue society that did nothing
more than ascertain if I could pay the fee they want. 5. Be prepared for anything. There are no overarching laws, regulations or
oversight of rescue groups. Some are run very
professionally and some are basket cases. Unlike
shelters, they are rarely subject to any state or
local inspections. You may call a rescue group and never get a response.
Part of the problem is the rapid turnover of volunteers involved in rescue groups. Realize that you may need
to be very, very patient when dealing with a
rescue group. Always ask how the dog came into rescue. Some
well-meaning group members "rescue" any dog,
especially a neglected looking dog, they find
outside without an owner. The dog may or may not be abandoned but few rescue
groups, in my experience, make much of an effort
to try to find owners especially if in their opinion
the dog does not appear to be well treated. Find out if they check for microchips or tattoos
and if you do get a rescue dog, have your vet
check them right away for this as well as diseases. You may expose yourself to emotional trauma and
even liability issues if you wind up with
a lost dog whose owner tracks him back to you. As a final caution, it pays to make two or three
visits with the dog you're considering adopting
before making the final decision. Louise Louis is a long-time dog person
and operates the ToyBreeds.com website.
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Float a Horses Teeth -- What Does that Mean and Why is it Necessary?
So what does it mean to float a horse's teeth? I'm sure you've heard this a time or two (if you haven't, sooner or later you will from another horse owner or from your vet), and if you're like me, you imagined for the longest time what this could possibly mean and wondered what it involved.
Hamsters and their quest for world domination
"Hamsters?!" I hear you say. "Who cares about some fury little rodents." You
ignorant little fool, you're pay the price for your stupidity when the Hamsters lead
by yours truly will rise up and DESTROY YOUR LAME SPECIES! We are closer to this
than you think. While you sleep, we are slowly spreading our influence. At first it
was small. After been first discovered in 1930 by zoologist and Professor Aharoni at
the University of Jerusalem, in the Syrian Desert, we quickly made our way to all four
corners of the globe. With the exception of Hawaii, which does not allow its
residents to own a hamster. A law was passed, hoping prevent escaped hamsters
from reproducing and messing up the ecosystem. Huh.
Life Long Nutrition A Comparison of Dog Foods
This article discusses two foods in paticual. For the puppy stage, Eagle Pack Puppy food and for the adult stage, Royal CaninLabrador Retriever
Scottie & Westie - This Mistake is Perfectly Understandable
Show an uninformed dog lover a photo of a Westie, and they'd identify a Westie as a white Scottie. This mistake is perfectly understandable, since they do have similar physical attributes and both originated from Scotland.
Why Does My Dog Have Bad Breath?
"Doggy breath" ? that unpleasant odor emanating from the mouths of Rover and Boomer ? can be a signal of serious health problems.
Characteristics Of The Boxer
Is A Boxer Right For You?
Is Nail Trimming Time A Battle?
Does the idea of trimming your dog's nails send chills up your spine? After all, Giving poochie a bath - no problem. You might even be ok sticking a tooth brush in Lassie's mouth. But trimming doggie's nails is never going to happen!
3 Tips For Dealing With Dog Emergencies
Have you ever thought about what you need to do should your dog ? or another dog ? ever suffer a serious, life-threatening injury? What if they have a severe allergy to an insect bite or a bee sting? It's great to know your vet's phone number, but what if something happens during off hours? What if you don't know where the closest emergency animal clinic is located?
A Beginners Guide to Lovebirds
Lovebirds are so named from the way they sit close to each
other, not because they are in love with each other. Lovebirds
can and do mate for life, but it doesn't happen every time.
How to Feed and Care for Orphaned Kittens
Over the last 15 years, I have raised nine orphaned kittens. Four of them were two weeks old when their mother was killed; three others were only hours old when their mother died; two more kittens fell out of the nest in our barn when they were only a day old.
Animals Are Forever
Throughout the course of my life, I've encountered my own share of dogs. From early childhood days, I recall having several dogs that stayed temporarily with us until my dad's next military assignment. Though my parents took good care of our animals, military life was unsuitable for animal adoptions as in most cases, animals were not permitted to go back overseas with us; thus we were inevitably forced to find homes for our pets.
Lower Your Veterinarian Costs And Increase the Longevity of Your Pets Lives
What does doing natural preventative care mean? I thought vaccinating, prevention medicines, and premium kibble was natural preventative care. Hardly.
Is Dog Dental Care Necessary?
Caring for your dogs teeth is a vital part of his overall health and maintenance. Sure, you may feel funny brushing Fido's pearly whites every night before bed, but good dental care for dogs is much more than just having white teeth and good breath.
Dog Obedience Training
Dog obedience training begins with the owner. There are several tips to keep in mind before starting any dog obedience training. First of all, understand that dogs have an attention span of no more than ten minutes. Training routines, therefore, should be limited to this time frame. Secondly, all training should be positive. Reward your dog for correct behavior and always end your obedience training sessions on a positive note.
Dog doors ? dog and owner reprieve
Buying dog doors online
Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD)
What is Canine Hip Dysplasia?
How to Make Your Cats Life, and YOUR Life, Happier - Training Your Cat
Imagine that you are scolding your cat for scratching at your new furniture, and Kitty is sitting staring at you. Suddenly you realize how silly you look and how futile your scolding is. So how do you train your cat to respect your home?
Terrorizing Your Cat with iRobot Vacuum System
Do you have a home robotic vacuum cleaner? They are all the new rage and quite innovative indeed. If you do not have one you eventually will have one, as that is how the future of vacuuming around the house will be done. Most household tasks will be done by simple robotic systems with at least a minimum of artificial intelligence programming. The ride on lawnmowers will move over and make way to the autonomous lawn mowing robots in the near future. Today a good vacuum is expensive and the iRobot is price competitive and they are selling like hot cakes. Only one problem, the family pets, do not like them much.
Westie - West Highland White Terrier Puppies - Fragile and Needful Of Protection
Have you ever held any Westie puppies? These tiny creatures are cuddly and white furry balls, at least 12-15 inches tall, possessing a pair of coal black eyes and snubbed nose. They look fragile and needful of your protection and care. This is deceiving, for they were initially bred to hunt vermin and are intelligent hunters.
Using Electrolytes to Avoid Equine Dehydration
For heat dissipation and body cooling, a horse trotting at 11.2 mph loses about 3.3 gallons of sweat per hour under moderate conditions. The salts/electrolytes sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium and calcium are also lost with this loss of fluid. These electrolytes are responsible for the transfer of water through cell membranes, for nerves to fire and muscles to contract. Large losses of electrolytes can result in several neuromuscular and systemic disturbances including muscle cramping, tying up, synchronous diaphragmatic flutter (thumps) and systemic alkalosis.
|
